U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, confirmed on Wednesday she won鈥檛 run for reelection, after the Fort Worth Report and 四虎影院 reported her plans Tuesday night.
Granger, 80, decided some time ago that she did not want to run for a 15th two-year term, according to multiple sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity so as to allow the lawmaker to make the announcement herself.
"As I announce my decision to not seek re-election, I am encouraged by the next generation of leaders in my district," Granger wrote in an emailed statement Wednesday. "It鈥檚 time for the next generation to step up and take the mantle and be a strong and fierce representative for the people."
Granger plans to serve out the rest of her term, working with her colleagues "to advance our conservative agenda and finish the job I was elected to do."
The filing for elections .
Granger represents Texas鈥� 12th Congressional District, which covers western Tarrant County and much of Parker County. She is the chair of the powerful , which is responsible for funding most of the federal government鈥檚 activities.
as part of a group of 20 Republicans who blocked Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, from becoming speaker. She supported Louisiana Republican Mike Johnson鈥檚 successful race for the spot.
As chair of the Appropriations Committee, Granger was in the middle of spending battles inside her party. She delivered on a number of projects important to Fort Worth: the Panther Island/Center City flood control project; defense funding; and the USS Fort Worth, the city鈥檚 namesake ship 鈥� she鈥檚 the ship鈥檚 sponsor 鈥� that she has protected from U.S. Navy cost-cutters.
Granger also has championed 鈥� a plane built at Fort Worth鈥檚 Lockheed Martin facility. Some of her top donors are from the defense and air transport industries, .
鈥淪he鈥檚 the most powerful Texan we鈥檝e got,鈥� said Ben Barnes, a lobbyist and former lieutenant governor of Texas who is a Democrat but has known and admired Granger for years. 鈥淚 hope she runs.鈥�
For decades, Granger was the public face of , a $1.16 billion flood control project that will reroute part of the Trinity River and create hundreds of acres of riverfront development near downtown Fort Worth.
Thomas Marshall, a political science professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, said 骋谤补苍驳别谤鈥檚 absence will leave a big void for Fort Worth in Congress. He described Granger as 鈥渁 giant in the Texas delegation.鈥�
鈥淪he helped Fort Worth punch above its weight,鈥� Marshall said.
A longtime member of the Appropriations Committee, Granger had put out the word earlier this year that she wanted a waiver from GOP rules that limit committee leadership to three consecutive two-year terms so as to be able to serve another term as chair if the GOP holds the House in 2024, or serve as the ranking member if Republicans don鈥檛.
That decision is up to the speaker, who has influence on the selection of committee chairs, but wouldn鈥檛 be made until next year. Granger served two terms as the ranking chair when the GOP was in the minority and, in 2022, with a slim Republican majority in the House, was elected chair.
Marshall does not expect anyone, including her eventual successor, to be able to fill 骋谤补苍驳别谤鈥檚 shoes within the next decade. Congress rewards seniority, he said.
Primaries are March 5.
Marshall expects a crowd of Republicans to vie for 骋谤补苍驳别谤鈥檚 seat and for a lot of money to pour into the safe GOP district. already has announced for the seat.
鈥淲hen you look at that field of candidates, who are these people and are they prepared to make this their end of career commitment for the next 25 or 30 years?鈥� the political scientist said.
Granger, a former educator who graduated from Texas Wesleyan University, has been a trailblazer from her time as Fort Worth鈥檚 mayor.
骋谤补苍驳别谤鈥檚 on Fort Worth鈥檚 Zoning Commission. From there, she was elected to Fort Worth City Council, and she became the first woman to serve as the city鈥檚 mayor in 1991.
In Congress, she was the only Republican woman in the Texas delegation from the time she was elected in 1996 to 2020, when Rep. Beth Van Duyne of Irving was elected.
Serving her community has been Granger's "greatest honor," she wrote in her statement.
"I have been able to accomplish more in this life than I could have imagined, and I owe it all to my incredible family, staff, friends, and supporters. The United States of America is the greatest country in the world because of our people and the vision of our Founding Fathers who created a nation that ensures every man, woman and child has the opportunity to succeed," she wrote.
This story has been updated with Granger's statement.
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